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Day Trip from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans

You can hear and see loads of tourists who are going to discover the nearby surroundings of Amsterdam for a day. Of course they isn't without reason, they do so because the Netherlands has so much more to offer than just Amsterdam. For this you do not have to travel far, within an hour's drive there is already plenty to discover. If you do not have your own transport, you can book tours from Amsterdam with which you can go for a day trip to the Zaanse Schans. This is not just for tourists and really fun to go and learn more from Dutch history.

What is the Zaanse Schans

The Zaanse Schans is an open-air museum about how things went in the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries. There is a complete village built with antique cottages, mills, farms, shops and factories as it used to be in the Netherlands.

Mills: Around the 17th century there were more than 600 mills in the immediate vicinity of the Zaanse Schans. It had become a real industry for the region. A lot of people were working here. Nowadays this doesn't happen much in this way anymore, but at the Zaanse Schans there is still a mill that works the way it worked at that time. Very interesting to take a look and maybe buy a bag of flour made here!

Boat trips: Very nice to do are the various boat trips you can do at the Zaanse Schans. The boat used to be a very convenient means of transport in the region, roads were almost not except the waterways. So a lot of traders did everything by boat. On each boat there is someone who can tell about the activities of the boat and also tells a lot about what is to see in the area. Fun and instructive.

Museums: There are several museums on the Zaanse Schans. At least, nowadays we see these as small museums while they used to be just shops or factories. So you can take a look at a bakery. Here you can see how traditional bread used to be baked. Or take a look at an old supermarket fully furnished with products from that time. It's just fun to delve into the Dutch history that was so common back then.

How to get there?

If you own a car, this is the most simple and economical way to get to the Zaanse Schans. If you don't have this, it's a good idea to go on an organized trip. There are several travel companies that have this tour in their assortment. You can book this on the spot in Amtserdam but that can also be done via the internet. This saves searching and arranging again during your time in Amsterdam.